Richard J. Lee

Richard J. Lee practices in the firm’s Corporate & Finance Transactions Department with a focus on derivatives, finance and distressed debt and claims trading. He is a CFA® charterholder.

Derivatives
Mr. Lee represents sell-side and buy-side clients in derivatives transactions and specializes in credit derivatives, including the analysis of credit default swaps and the negotiation of total return swaps. He advises on and negotiates ISDA Master Agreements and related credit support documents, prime brokerage agreements, margin financing arrangements, master repurchase agreements, futures and options agreements, and other trading agreements. He also negotiates documentation for equity derivatives transactions, including global equity and equity options master confirmations.

Finance
Mr. Lee represents various clients on a range of secured financings collateralized by financial assets, including bank loans, claims and other illiquid assets, and traditional margin financing facilities. He also has extensive experience advising lenders providing interest rate, FX and commodities hedging in connection with secured credit facilities.

Distressed Debt & Claims Trading
Mr. Lee represents broker-dealers, hedge funds and other financial institutions in connection with trading and investing in distressed assets, including corporate bank loans, bankruptcy claims, restructured securities, and litigation claims. He regularly counsels clients in the review and analysis of credit agreements and bond indentures, and advises on bankruptcy and restructuring matters arising in connection with special situations investments.

In 2013, Mr. Lee was seconded to UBS Investment Bank, where he advised on derivatives regulatory reform initiatives. Prior to joining RK&O, Mr. Lee was an associate in the New York and Hong Kong offices of O’Melveny & Myers LLP, where he practiced in the M&A and private equity groups.

• Hedge funds analyzing and advocating complex CDS credit events, including Sears, Caesars, Novo Banco, Argentina and Greece.
• Global investment bank providing financing to investment funds purchasing funded and unfunded leveraged loans.
• Global investment bank making structured loans collateralized by distressed loans, bonds and related swaps.

• Registered investment funds and hedge funds negotiating margin financing facilities and other prime brokerage financing transactions.
• Hedge funds providing liquidity solutions to holders of the Deepwater Horizon economic damages claims using bespoke financing and risk participation structures.
• Private equity funds and hedge funds purchasing and restructuring loans and interest rate swap claims against several distressed infrastructure projects, including Indiana Tolls Roads and Texas State Highway 130.
• Investment banks and investment funds trading billions of dollars of insolvency claims against Lehman Brothers in the U.S., Europe and Asia.
• Markit Group Limited performing Successor Reference Entity determinations for North American loan CDS.
• Loan Syndications and Trading Association, Inc. amending the Syndicated Secured LCDS Physical Settlement Rider for North American loan CDS.

Chartered Financial Analyst® (CFA)